City closes West Rogers Park store due to mice problems

November 03, 2009

Mayor Daley's Dumpster Task Force today closed Hollywood Food & Gifts, 2800 W. Devon Ave., due to an active infestation of mice and for having no hot water service.

Task Force inspectors went to the business today and found more than 200 mice droppings throughout the place in areas such as under the microwave, coffee grinder and on shelving, according to a news release from the city's Department of Streets and Sanitation. They also detected that mice had been gnawing into bags of flaming hot flavored cheese puffs.

"When our inspectors find the type of problems that they did at Hollywood they have no alternative but to close the place," said Deputy Commissioner Josie Cruz of Streets and Sanitation's Bureau of Rodent Control, which operates the Dumpster Task Force. "However they also take the time to explain to management what their problems are and what steps they need to take to prevent such problems from reoccurring in the future," Cruz said.

Hollywood Food & Gifts will not be allowed to reopen until they clean their establishment thoroughly, get their pest problems under control, revamp their housekeeping and pest control practices, restore hot water service, then request and pass a tough reinspection, the release said.